This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
An impact wrench is a power tool designed to drive a socket wrench and to deliver a high torque output with minimal exertion by the user, by storing energy in a rotating mass, then delivering it suddenly to the output shaft. Impact wrenches are commonly powered by compressed air as well as electric or hydraulic power, with cordless, battery powered devices becoming increasingly popular in recent times. Impact wrenches are widely used in many industries, such as automotive repair, equipment maintenance, product assembly and any other instance where a high torque output is needed.
In operation, a rotating mass is accelerated by a motor, storing energy, and is then suddenly connected to a rotating anvil, creating a high-torque impact. The hammer mechanism is designed such that after delivering the impact, the hammer is allowed to spin freely. With this design, the only reaction force applied to the body of the tool is the motor accelerating the hammer. Therefore, the operator feels very little torque, even though a very high peak torque is delivered to the socket.
Existing socket retention features are used to connect a socket to a square drive socket of the anvil. However, these socket retention features can be frustrating to the user. Hog ring-type retention features have been used but don't always retain the socket to the anvil. Pin-type retention features retain the socket but also require the user to use a pointed tool to release the socket. Accordingly, existing socket retention features can be frustrating to the user.